A popular lake in Banff National Park has reopened for skating after a three-month closure to prevent the spread of a contagious fish disease. Johnson Lake, which was closed to the public in early August, opened late Wednesday. “The lake is frozen over so we were able to lift the closure,” said Bill Hunt, resource conservation […]

One year after government scientists were effectively unmuzzled, the federal science minister says they’ve come a long way with the policy but there’s still a change in culture taking place in the departments. The commitment by the Trudeau government last fall included appointing a chief science officer, allowing scientists to speak freely about their work and considering more science in government […]

Rancher Brad Osadczuk says having his cattle quarantined for the last two months due to a bovine tuberculosis outbreak is hurting his business and his family — and he wants the federal government to step in with financial help. Osadczuk’s learned on Sept. 22 that one of his cows had the contagious bacterial disease. Five […]

Sabra Canada Inc. is recalling certain Sabra brand hummus because of possible Listeria contamination. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency says the affected hummus was sold nationally. The recall was triggered by a recall in another country, and there have been no reported illnesses in Canada linked to the hummus. The agency says it is conducting […]

The federal and provincial governments are considering making disaster relief funding available to quarantined ranchers who can't sell their cattle due to the discovery of a case of bovine tuberculosis in southeast Alberta.

BANFF — As some federal officials work to determine how widespread whirling disease is across Alberta, others are considering whether they need to remove all of the fish or even drain Johnson Lake in Banff National Park. The first-ever case of the contagious fish disease in Canada was confirmed in the small, shallow lake in mid-August. During an […]

Whirling disease, which affects fish such as trout, has now been detected outside of Banff National Park. In the past week, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency confirmed the disease in a “commercial aquaculture facility licensed by the Government of Alberta.” Officials with Alberta Environment and Parks said they’ve been collecting samples from most of the 18 public and private commercial […]

Whirling disease, a contagious disease that could have a major effect on the province’s trout populations, has been confirmed in six additional locations in Banff National Park. Earlier this week, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency — which monitors diseases that are important to aquatic health or the Canadian economy — posted the latest results on its website. “Additional detections of whirling […]

More cases of whirling disease have been found in Banff National Park — this time in the Bow River, elevating concerns for southern Alberta’s fish populations. On Monday, officials announced that the contagious disease was confirmed Sept. 7 in fish taken from the Bow River. “For some samples taken at about four or five sites downstream of Bow Falls, between there and […]

As they finish harvesting this year’s crop, Canadian honey producers say they are being stung with prices that have fallen by about 50 per cent since a year ago, a devastating blow that some are blaming on a global glut of what they say is cheaper, low-quality Chinese exports. While Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promotes […]

Two rabid bats have been found this week in southern Alberta, prompting health officials to remind people to vaccinate their pets and not touch wildlife. The bats, which tested positive for rabies, were found in Medicine Hat and another undisclosed southern Alberta location. “We’ve dealt with two rabid bats,” said Dr. Vivien Suttorp, chief medical […]

The province’s health authority shuttered a central Alberta business this week that admits it supplied pork to a distributor implicated in an E.coli outbreak that has made at least 100 people ill. Officials with Alberta Health Services say they issued the closure order to Family Meats 2011 Ltd. in Ponoka because they believe products for sale were “potentially contaminated with bacteria” during processing.

Raw pork from two more city retailers is being pulled from store shelves as food safety officials continue investigating where tainted meat that sickened scores of Albertans was shipped to and sold around the province. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency said pork sold at Trimming Fresh Meats Ltd. in the third week of July and Hiep Hoa Asian Food in the last half of July and a few days the middle of August may be contaminated with potentially-fatal bacteria.

Nearly two months after scores of Albertans started falling ill from a potentially-fatal bacteria, health officials say they finally know what has been making them sick. Food safety investigators with the provincial health authority suspect the mysterious spike in E.coli cases was caused by tainted pork from a pair of meat shops that supply numerous Asian restaurants in Alberta’s two largest cities.

Thieves used to traipse into Sue Ghebari’s grocery stores and stuff a pack of steaks down their pants or tuck them inside their jackets before fleeing. Lately, she said they’re working in groups, distracting staff as they fill baskets and shopping carts with tenderloins and T-bone steaks, tossing the ill-gotten goods into a waiting vehicle and peeling off before police are even called.

Ready-to-eat salads sold at Safeway outlets in the western half of the country are being recalled due to possible listeria contamination. Officials with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency said Wednesday the house brands — Signature Cafe, Fresh n Delicious and Nester’s Own — contain packets of potentially tainted cheese made at a B.C. factory.

Almost Done!

Postmedia wants to improve your reading experience as well as share the best deals and promotions from our advertisers with you. The information below will be used to optimize the content and make ads across the network more relevant to you. You can always change the information you share with us by editing your profile.

By clicking "Create Account", I hearby grant permission to Postmedia to use my account information to create my account.

I also accept and agree to be bound by Postmedia's Terms and Conditions with respect to my use of the Site and I have read and understand Postmedia's Privacy Statement. I consent to the collection, use, maintenance, and disclosure of my information in accordance with the Postmedia's Privacy Policy.

Postmedia wants to improve your reading experience as well as share the best deals and promotions from our advertisers with you. The information below will be used to optimize the content and make ads across the network more relevant to you. You can always change the information you share with us by editing your profile.

By clicking "Create Account", I hearby grant permission to Postmedia to use my account information to create my account.

I also accept and agree to be bound by Postmedia's Terms and Conditions with respect to my use of the Site and I have read and understand Postmedia's Privacy Statement. I consent to the collection, use, maintenance, and disclosure of my information in accordance with the Postmedia's Privacy Policy.